Near Fluðir in Bláskógabyggð, Southern Region, Iceland — North Atlantic and Artic Oceans (a Nordic Island)
Gullfoss
Photographed by Connor Olson, July 4, 2025
1. Gullfoss Marker
Árið 1907 vildi enskur maður kaupa Gullfoss og þegar Tómas bóndi í Brattholti, sem átti fossinn að hálfu, neitaði með þeim orðum að hann seldi ekki vin sinn, vildi hann kaupa alla jörðina fyrir margfalt jarðarverð. Eftir að hafa ráðfært sig við dætur sínar neitaði Tómas tilboðinu en skömmu síðar tókst íslenskum kaupmanni að plata hann til að skrifa undir leigusamning á Gullfossi til 150 ára. Kaupmaðurinn seldi samninginn síðan í hendur erlendra aðila. Bóndadóttirin í Brattholti, Sigríður Tómasdóttir, gekkst fyrir því að fá leigusamninginn ógiltan, en þeirri tilraun var hnekkt fyrir dómi. Ekkert varð samt úr virkjunarframkvæmdum, og árið 1928 féll leigusamningurinn úr gildi þar sem leigugreiðslur hættu að berast.
Barátta Sigríðar fyrir fossinum var ósérhlífin og einstök. Hún lagði oft nótt við dag til að fylgja máli sínu eftir, fór í langferðir yfir fjallvegi, óð stórar ár á hvaða tíma árs sem var og átti marga fundi med embættismönnum í Reykjavík. Vegna þessarar baráttu hefur Sigríður gjarnan verið nefnd fyrsti náttúruverndarsinni Íslands.
Sigríðarstígur er til minningar um Sigríði Tómasdóttur
this page online
In 1907, an Englishman wanted to buy Gullfoss, and when Tómas, a farmer in Brattholt who owned half the waterfall, refused and stated that he would not sell his friend, the Englishman offered a much higher price for the whole land. Tómas consulted his daughters and subsequently refused the offer, but shortly thereafter, an Icelandic merchant managed to trick him into signing a 150-year lease on
The merchant then sold the lease to a foreign party. The daughter of the farmer from Brattholt, Sigríður Tómasdottir, sought to have the lease voided, but her attempt failed in court. However, the construction of a proposed power plant never happened, and in 1928, the lease was voided due to unpaid rental payments.
Sigríður's fight for the waterfall was selfless and remarkable. She often worked around the clock to follow up on her case, made long journeys along mountain roads, waded across great rivers in all seasons and had many meetings with government officials in Reykjavik. Due to her fight, Sigríður has often been called Iceland's first environmentalist.
Photographed by Connor Olson, July 4, 2025
2. Gullfoss Marker
Sigridarstigur path is dedicated to the memory of Sigríður Tómasdóttir from Brattholt and her heroic fight for the conservation of Gullfoss.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Natural Features • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1907.
Location. 64° 19.538′ N, 20° 7.555′ W. Marker is near Fluðir, Suðurland (Southern Region), in Bláskógabyggð. It can be reached from Route 35 north of Gullfossvegur when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fluðir, Suðurland 806, Iceland. Touch for directions.
Regionally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean, in the North Atlantic Region, on the Atlantic Arc, in Europe, in Atlantic Europe, in the Nordic Countries, in the Schengen Area, in the Western Hemisphere, and in the Western World.
Other nearby markers. At least one other marker is within walking distance of this marker: Sigídur í Brattholti (within shouting distance of this marker).
Credits. This page was last revised on February 27, 2026. It was originally submitted on December 28, 2025, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 52 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 28, 2025, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
